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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29936223">Death Pays the Toll</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/UisceOneLove/pseuds/UisceOneLove'>UisceOneLove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dark Stony Bingo 2021 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel 616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Character Death, Fate &amp; Destiny, Hurt Tony Stark, Last Kiss, M/M, Minor Violence, POV Steve Rogers, Partner Betrayal, Red String of Fate, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, Steve Rogers Feels, Tony Stark Feels, Unhappy Ending</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:21:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29936223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/UisceOneLove/pseuds/UisceOneLove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The moment he opened his eyes to a new world and met The Avengers, Steve knew it down to his core. His life was never going to be the same. </p><p>It would be easier to prepare for the inevitable if Tony didn't have those good qualities.</p><p>Soulmates didn't work like that, however much the easier would come in handy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dark Stony Bingo 2021 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>SteveTony Acheronian Bingo 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Death Pays the Toll</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Well this made me cry while writing it. Go me. </p><p>Dark Stony Bingo, Trope Inversion Card, Square: "Soulmates"</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When it's over, and Steve is sitting in the holding cell in the SHIELD Helicarrier, he's only numb. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That's the beginning of the final stages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blood stains his gloves, his uniform is in shreds, and those last moments are stuck on playback.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just tell me, Cap," A hysterical Peter Parker asks from the other side of the bars, "was Registration really worth this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's not the thing that Steve thought would be when their time ran out. It's not how he wanted their path to stop. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it wasn't his choice. It was never going to be either of their choices.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's the way it was meant to end, Peter," he tells the boy, his voice as dead as the rest of him would soon be.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It comes to a head in the middle of the New York streets, innocent civilians running for their lives while Civil War reaches its peak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Friends, teammates, fight against one another in a blood bath. In the center of it, Tony and Steve rage at each other with all they've got.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This was your last chance, Winghead," Iron Man yells, his embittered rage palpable through the armor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You brought us to this, Shellhead," Captain America returns, and he is devastated, bloodthirsty, and it's all just red in his eyes as he beats down Iron Man with blow after blow of his fists and shield. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes a painful blast of a repulser to the shoulder but he keeps going. His wrist burns under his glove, urges him on until he's got the man he loves forced into the broken cement and </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> doesn't stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The moment he opened his eyes to a new world and met The Avengers, Steve knew it down to his core. His life was never going to be the same. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The moment that Steve's eyes met the deep blue of billionaire Tony Stark once he was taken to the Avengers Mansion, he knew from the tug in his chest and the red line around his wrist that their lives had an expiration date. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tony Stark could be infuriating and headstrong. He could be over-eager and cutting in his defenses. But he was also a man who hurt deeply, strived to atone for his mistakes, and did his damndest to make Steve comfortable in the modern world even when the connection happened. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It would be easier to prepare for the inevitable if Tony didn't have those good qualities.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Soulmates didn't work like that, however much the easier would come in handy.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve's shield reined down on the suit until it was breaking off in pieces and left a clear opening to Tony's face. There was blood there, too, dripping from the man's mouth. Tony looked pained, and they both knew there was more than a physical reason to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blond panted, straddling his waist, and shield raised high above their heads. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just like the first time, their eyes locked and pulled at their hearts with excruciating pressure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go on," Tony baited him, "finish it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve's eyes blurred with unshed tears. "Why did you have to sign? Why did you have to tear us apart, Tony? It didn't have to be this way."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So many fights before that they made it through. It should have been one more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was always going to be this way," Tony replies, unsympathetic. But a gauntlet uses the last of his strength to squeeze Steve's thigh. "It's the way it was meant to end, Steve."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve hears the shouts of the angry mob around them and the cries from their friends as he brings the shield down one more time with all the force it can carry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve doesn't even get to kiss Tony goodbye. The mob descends on him in seconds to rip him away from Iron Man's body.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>No one says a word when it's time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sharon Carter and Carol Danvers arrive to cuff him with adamantium wristlets and take him to the convoy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two women stare ahead with faces of stone while Steve sits in his muted shell and listens to the roar of the angry citizens as they ride to the courthouse. They took his gloves off, so his eyes stay on the dull red line around his wrist. He glances up once and sees Carol staring down at it, and knows when she meets his eyes that understanding clicks behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn't protest when he's yanked out of the van harshly, uniform still clinging to his body like a second skin. Carol and Sharon grip his arms tightly and lead him toward the courthouse steps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry it has to be this way, Cap," Carol finally says, her voice for only them to hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve can't tell if he smiles or grimaces, because everything grows cold and he knows what time it is. "We can't run from it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gunshots ring out. He feels it, twice; once through his chest and the other from Sharon's gun that's aimed at his gut. Steve doesn't hear the screams through the echoes in his ears and goes down right there on the steps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Steve!" Carol tries to staunch the bleeding with her hands but it's okay. His eyes are somewhere else and there's no pain left to feel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony walks down the steps to him and kneels on his other side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is how it was meant to end," Tony says again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve passes on with the last caress of warmth by the touch of Tony's lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is how it was meant to end for Iron Man and Captain America.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and Kudos, as always, are greatly appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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